Wallington principal is named new superintendent

The Wallington Board of Education promoted from within and voted at the July 8 meeting to appoint Principal James Albro as the new superintendent of schools.

Albro, who is currently the principal of Wallington Jr./Sr. High School, will begin as superintendent effective Jan. 1, 2014 with a four-year contract. His salary will start at $141,000 for the first year, in accordance with the state superintendent salary cap, and is prorated over the period of service not to exceed $147,500 in the fourth year, according to the board's original resolution.

Albro, 44, has worked in the district for 10 years as a social studies teacher, football coach, track coach and supervisor. Prior to returning to Wallington in October 2012 to serve as a principal, he worked in the Fort Lee School District for three years as an assistant principal.

Albro earned his master's degree from St. Peter's College in Educational Administration and said that he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in the future. He lives in Carlstadt.

"The challenge obviously is student achievement, grammar school through high school," said Albro. "There's also the financial and fiscal operations of the district, to make them as efficient as possible, to be responsible for the taxpayers. That's the new piece of my job, and one that I welcome."

Interim Superintendent Dr. Frank Cocchiola Jr. said that Albro will remain principal of the high school until Dec. 31, 2013, adding that they are not looking to hire "any more interims." He said that the principal position may be publicly advertised as early as the following day.

The board entered into executive session prior to voting on the resolution and made additional revisions pending review by the County Executive Superintendent of Schools and the Wallington School Board.

Cocchiola was appointed as interim superintendent of the district in February after Superintendent Dr. Albert Pecora, who planned to retire on June 30, 2013, announced he would take a leave of absence until then.

Cocchiola had previously spent 42 years working as a teacher and administrator in Wallington, and retired as superintendent in June 2010.